Telecommunications systems, cable television systems and data communication networks use optical networks to rapidly convey large amounts of information between remote points. In an optical network, information is conveyed in the form of optical signals through optical fibers. Optical fibers comprise thin strands of glass capable of communicating the signals over long distances with very low loss. An optical network may be configured to combine modulated signals at various wavelengths or optical frequencies (also known as “channels”) into a single optical fiber. Each disparate channel may include optically encoded information to be communicated throughout the optical network.
A common problem in optical networks is that of “crosstalk” between the various channels. Crosstalk is a phenomenon by which a signal transmitted on one channel of an optical transmission system creates an undesired effect in another channel. For example, crosstalk may occur when side lobes of a signal for a first channel overlap with a portion of a second channel in the frequency domain.